363. Ancient Egypt: Destroyer Of Gods – Pharaoh Akhenaten (Ep 2)
Summary
In this episode of Empire, hosts William Durand and Anita Anand join historian Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to explore Pharaoh Akhenaten’s radical religious revolution. They discuss the shift from traditional Egyptian polytheism to the exclusive worship of the sun disc Aten, the construction of the new capital Amarna, and the persecution of the old priesthood. The conversation examines whether this was true monotheism or henotheism and analyzes the striking parallels between Akhenaten’s Great Hymn and biblical Psalms.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and intro: BetterHelp, Tremfya, and Sallie Mae
Introduction: The fall of Amun and rise of Aten
Guest intro: Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones becomes a priest
Ancient Egyptian polytheism and the vast pantheon
Amun-Ra, the priesthood, and the divine Pharaoh
Amenhotep III, his health, and royal divinization
Akhenaten's iconography and theological shift to Aten
Building the new capital city of Akhetaten
Break: Peyronie's disease ad and Rest Is Fest promo
Akhetaten's open-air temples and erasing the past
Theology of Aten: Henotheism vs Monotheism
The Great Hymn to the Aten and parallels with the Bible
Akhenaten's legacy, erasure, and cultural impact
Conclusion: Intolerance, sponsors, and sign-off
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